wrote in message

The GAU-8's biggest limitation besides ammo supply
is that the recoil slows the A-10 quickly,

A myth, according to a A-10 driver here, a while back.

and gasses from the muzzle get sucked into the engines while firing.

Not true. The engines are mounted where they are, to prevent that.

Besides the high cost of DU ammo, there's an environmetal issue with dust
created by projectile impact. Scary stuff.

Which is why they now use tungsten projectiles.
--
Jim in NC